How do keys work? Explained in one Gif • Hacker News Board

Re: How do keys work? Explained in one Gif

#51

Post by bicknergseng » Wed, Jan 23, 2013, 1:37 AM UTC

brianpan wrote: post #42

shocks wrote: post #34

Old but still relevant. I learnt about locks here. http://www.lysator.liu.se/mit-guide/MITLockGuide.pdf

> ...it is worth pointing out that lock picking is just one way to bypass a lock A sobering insight after a break-in and a conversation with a locksmith. A lock is only as good as the latch, and door that it's sitting in, and the hinges attaching the door, and the molding surrounding it, and the wall it's in.

There's a Mythbusters where they quite literally tackled the action-movie-style busting down the door. Turns out it doesn't matter how many locks are on the door when Jamie kept knocking them off their hinges.

Re: How do keys work? Explained in one Gif

#52

Post by businessleads » Wed, Jan 23, 2013, 1:44 AM UTC

skeletonjelly wrote: post #50

If I wanted more content like a single gif in a blog post I'd go to reddit. This is currently #1 on HN.

If I wanted more comments complaining about GIFs turning a site into Reddit I'd go to Quora.

;)

Re: How do keys work? Explained in one Gif

#53

Post by SquareWheel » Wed, Jan 23, 2013, 1:46 AM UTC

RandallBrown wrote: post #49

tptacek wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's the currently binding cylinder. With the right amount of tension applied via the wrench, one pin binds at a time, which is what allows you to set the pins one at a time.

why does only one cylinder bind at a time? It seems to me like the lock shouldn't be able to turn at all until all of the cylinders are pressed to the right height.

Due to imperfections in the lock. It only takes a tiny difference for that tension to not be applied evenly so you can focus on one pin at a time.

Re: How do keys work? Explained in one Gif

#54

Post by hoov » Wed, Jan 23, 2013, 1:49 AM UTC

RandallBrown wrote: post #49

tptacek wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's the currently binding cylinder. With the right amount of tension applied via the wrench, one pin binds at a time, which is what allows you to set the pins one at a time.

why does only one cylinder bind at a time? It seems to me like the lock shouldn't be able to turn at all until all of the cylinders are pressed to the right height.

Manufacturing tolerances aren't 100% perfect.

Re: How do keys work? Explained in one Gif

#55

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Jan 23, 2013, 1:50 AM UTC

SquareWheel wrote: post #11

Locks are a relatively simple a fun mechanism to play with. Lock picking can be explained similarly. It's essentially simulating that key by popping the pins up to the shear line (the horizontal plane) and applying tension via your tension/torsion tool so the pin doesn't fall down. Then move onto the next one. If you get all pins to the shear line, the lock opens. It's also a pretty cheap hobby to get into. Though th…

[deleted]

Re: How do keys work? Explained in one Gif

#56

Post by jazzychad » Wed, Jan 23, 2013, 1:51 AM UTC

I remember seeing this explained on Mr. Wizard as a kid :) He used a giant cardboard key and a poster with moveable tumblers attached to demonstrate it.

Re: How do keys work? Explained in one Gif

#57

Post by jasonm23 » Wed, Jan 23, 2013, 1:54 AM UTC

vinhboy wrote: post #16

mepet wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

http://i.imgur.com/kaOa0G3.gif Here's a version I found on reddit a while back.

what exactly is that little dirt stain that moves from cylinder to cylinder supposed to be? is it supposed to represent tension or something?

it's the next 'key' pin. (the little stain is a key icon.)

Re: How do keys work? Explained in one Gif

#58

Post by tokenadult » Wed, Jan 23, 2013, 2:11 AM UTC

How blogspam works. This is blogspam upon blogspam. I dare not say that this link

http://delima.soup.io/post/295576131/how-keys-work

is the original link, but it's at least two links closer to the original source than the link submitted here to HN.

AFTER EDIT: Many thanks to the HN reader who found the original source, which deserves traffic much more than blogspam. I flag blogspam relentlessly since another HN user asked about the issue.

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4583307

Re: How do keys work? Explained in one Gif

#59

Post by confluence » Wed, Jan 23, 2013, 2:28 AM UTC

tokenadult wrote: post #58

How blogspam works. This is blogspam upon blogspam. I dare not say that this link http://delima.soup.io/post/295576131/how-keys-work is the original link, but it's at least two links closer to the original source than the link submitted here to HN. AFTER EDIT: Many thanks to the HN reader who found the original source, which deserves traffic much more than blogspam. I flag blogspam relentlessly since another HN user…

That original link grinds most browsers to a halt.

Re: How do keys work? Explained in one Gif

#60

Post by ryen » Wed, Jan 23, 2013, 2:33 AM UTC

tokenadult wrote: post #58

How blogspam works. This is blogspam upon blogspam. I dare not say that this link http://delima.soup.io/post/295576131/how-keys-work is the original link, but it's at least two links closer to the original source than the link submitted here to HN. AFTER EDIT: Many thanks to the HN reader who found the original source, which deserves traffic much more than blogspam. I flag blogspam relentlessly since another HN user…

No site that has a 25x25 count grid of animated avatars to show who "reposted" deserves to get traffic